Decisions of a Troubled Heart
by Feined Darkness
Summary: Duke sees Mallory and Wing as a symbol of his pain, & Tanya is hurting right along with him. When Falcone and Dragaunus try and exploit Duke's misery, what will be the outcome? What does Falcone REALLY want? Warning: Sexual implications in later chapters
1. Prologue

Alright, this is a fic that I posted previously under the name "Kasota". However, someone decided they didn't like that account anymore and rendered it inactive...sigh but that's okay, it gave me an excuse to revise and edit some more, and now ya'll won't have to wait for updates until a bit later, since I have most of it written.

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own the Mighty Ducks....Wish I did...Would be very entertaining...but alas I can only dream....sigh

* * *

Prologue:

Falcone chuckled softly to himself as he threw the cuffs to the floor, kicking them off to the side as he looked down at the brilliant little laser cutter in his hands. "Those amateurs..." He spat, turning with a sweep of his cape as he bolted silently down the corridor. A grin spread slowly across his face as he darted in and out of shadows, around both inmates and sentries alike, completely unnoticed...invisible.

"Fools...They honestly thought they could hold the Great Falcone in such a dump...What horrible sentiments...I'm almost offended." He said quietly to himself.

"Pajaro High Security Correctional Facility...High Security like my feathers are green..." He laughed again as he padded along. Coming upon a reflective pane of glass, he paused. "I look horrible...Yes...When I'm finished here, I'll be sure to go and get cleaned up properly...." His voice was smooth and suave as he gazed at himself; his hair was long and unkempt, falling lazily over his eyes. "I can't believe I actually let them keep me here long enough to fall into such a disheveled mess...This is horrendous..." He suddenly lurched forward, clutching his head, almost deafened by the alarms that had begun to sound. "It's about bloody time...I could have been half way around Puckworld..." He scoffed, shaking his head and rolling his eyes as he started down the corridor once more.

"Now....for my saber..." He thought aloud, reaching out a nimble hand and snapping the neck of a guard that walked unfortunately too close.

Falcone set off once more, his destination: the inmates' personal belonging storage facility....The least guarded room in the entire prison. Pity...I would have enjoyed a good challenge tonight...Then I would have something to rub in the face of that second rate pickpocket... His thoughts raced with malice as he contemplated the many ways he could get back at Duke...He almost pitied the fool for ever crossing him. But he had counted his blessings while he could, the last time he failed Dragaunus he could have easily cast him into the oblivion that was dimensional limbo... Instead he had merely flung him back into the hell whole that was the prison....and it was all Duke's doing...The dirty backstabbing turncoat....Brotherhood of the Blade his tail feathers...Falcone wanted Duke, wanted him in the worst possible way. He'd pay...he'd pay dearly.....

* * *

Duke stared blankly off into space, heaving a heavy sigh as he fingered the saber on his shoulder. Leaning back, he yawned silently and put his hands behind his head, his foot twitching slightly to a beat only he could hear.

"I sense your spirit is troubled...." The familiar, monotonous voice of Grin rumbled from behind him. He sat down next to Duke and crossed his legs, tracing Duke's gaze across the heavens.

Duke wanted to be annoyed, he wanted to find something to be angry at, but Grin was not it. He liked the roof of the Pond, it was usually so quiet and still, which was why Grin knew to find him there. "I really don't know, Grin...I've had a lot on my mind lately." He replied, his stare unwavering from the sparkling stars and the wispy clouds as they floated idly by.

"Yes...that was obvious today at the game..." Grin said gently, referring to the play Duke had completely missed. The ducks had still won, and to everyone but Grin it had gone unobserved. "I have also noticed the way you have been watching Mallory and Wildwing....Their bonding disturbs you, does it not?"

Duke cringed, closing his eyes in the dim light of the moon. "No...No I'm happy for them...Really I am...It's just...Before I...." He sighed, shaking his head and sitting up. "Nothing..." Rising to his feet, he looked down at Grin, his eyes unreadable in the darkness, only the faint glow of his right eye even told Grin that he was facing him. "I just need some time to think..."

Grin smiled in understanding. "The strongest of hearts must heal in its own time, my friend, and the...." The moon had disappeared behind a cloud, and by the time it had reemerged, Duke was gone.

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Short and sweet but much more to come. I know there isn't much to look at here and now, but please R&R anyways, thanks .


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One:

"Yo, Wildwing! Pass me the puck!" Duke called at practice the next morning. It was not unusual for his all-night absences to go unnoticed, and last night had been no exception. Even Grin had stopped trying to keep track of the wandering soul, as even for him it was getting somewhat exasperating.

From behind the mask, Wildwing smiled, same old Duke. It had been almost three months since he had told Mallory how he felt. He would have been devastated had she said anything other than what she did, that she felt the same way, and had every since Canard had contacted them both on Puckworld. He found that his gaze had fallen on her, the graceful movements of her skates on the ice, the way her body seemed to flow like the water of the arena before it froze...even that seemed to reflect his Mallory...So hard and cold it seemed on the outside, but inside it was the flowing gentleness that he had seen right through.

"Wing, duck!"

He snapped out of his stupor, "What else would I—"He was interrupted most rudely as the puck collided harshly with the side of his head, sending him reeling backwards into the net. Duke almost grinned despite himself as he hurried over to see if Wildwing was alright. "Yo, sorry man...heh, thought you were paying attention." The older duck chided, turning his back to the fallen mallard.

Mallory was at Wildwing's side in an instant, worry lining the face she usually hid emotion from so well. Prodding the small lump that had emerged from the soft feathers of Wing's skull, she smiled. "You'll live, but I think we'll have Tanya have a look at it." She chuckled as his eyes grew wide and he shook his head, "No way, she's like an over protective mother when any one of us gets a scratch, she'll keep me in the ward for a week just to make sure I don't have a concussion." They both laughed, earning a spiteful look from Tanya as she skated out of the arena and into the locker room.

"Duke? What's wrong?" Tanya looked up, surprised to see Duke staring at himself in the mirror, his right eye glowing more brightly than usual and his face twisted into a mixture of emotions with an adequate description being dejected and forlorn.

With a shake of his head he looked deeply into Tanya's reflection in the mirror. "Nothing, kiddo. Nothing at all, just a little homesick." He lied; something he was good at, perhaps too good. No one ever knew what to expect from him anymore, and they did not even realize it.

"Duke, listen to me, I..." Duke raised his hand slowly, silencing Tanya mid-sentence with the gesture.

"Tanya...please don't. I know that you know what it is, but..." He trailed off, the look in Tanya's eyes having the same effect as his movements had on her.

"Duke, you need to hear this. I know seeing Wildwing and Mallory hurts, the Stars only know how much I miss home, and I know you do too, but we have a mission to complete here, and we can't go home until it's done." Her nasal voice seemed harsh to Duke, hitting him like a fist. But she was right, he had needed to hear it voiced, since before hand he would not let himself believe the feeling. It really was Mallory, he could not blame it on home...he wanted home, he wanted it badly, but it was Mallory he wanted more.

* * *

"Those putrid poultry seem to be having some...internal issues..." Wraith glowered as he fingered a large crystal orb, floating, as it seemed to be, over its claw-like stand. It settled gently back down into its resting place as Wraith turned his back to it to face his master.

Dragaunus sat back on the gnarled, wicked-looking metal work that was what would have been a throne, had he actually ruled anything...The very chair itself seemed to scream in agony, and whispers often floated through the Raptor about the horrors that were occurring during its construction on the planet they had almost conquered... However, his attention was elsewhere, his thoughts focusing on something very distant, and Wraith's words floated in and out of his consciousness, neither absorbed nor sought after.

"Milord?...Milord?" Wraith quirked a scaled eyebrow, tapping his staff on the ground loudly, trying to draw attention to himself, when Dragaunus did not even stir, Wraith walked dangerously close to him, "Dragaunus?" He jumped back only in time to avoid the thrashing of his Lord's clawed hands. Swallowing with a sallow gulp he dared to speak once more. "Dragaunus? Milord?"

"WHAT do you WANT?! You simpering little whelp!" He finally bellowed, snapped back into the painful reality that was the miserable planet Earth.

"As I was saying, Milord...The Ducks—"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THOSE DISPICABLE DUCKS UNLESS IT INVOLVES DINNER OR A PROSPECT OF EXCRUCIATING AGONY!"

Wraith simply shook his head and stroked the head of a small wicked-looking lizard that perched on his shoulder until Dragaunus sat back down. Such a temper he had sometimes...The ancestors should have warned him of his unfortunate luck, but such is his existence...Blah.

"Sire...As I was saying. The Ducks—"He paused, seeing the familiar veins begin to protrude from the powerful Saurian's forehead, but he continued on. "They seem to be having some internal issues. The one called Duke...yes...his mind is clouded with many emotions, but I am sensing an avid...negativity in him. Jealousy, perhaps. Anger... Confusion...Yes, lovely emotions." He mused, almost forgetting he was even addressing his master.

Dragaunus simply wanted to explode at his minion for such petty trifles. Not only did he not bother to care, it put him in a worse mood to realize the Ducks were still in existence. He rose and raised a fist, opening his mouth to yell...but instead of curses and screaming, a small smile formed at his lips. "Wraith...."

"Milord?" He looked up, resting his hand on the top of the rotting duck skull that had been impaled on top of his staff. He noticed Dragaunus' eyes had also rested there, and for once in a long time, they had the horrid glint of a plan glistening in them.

"Bring me that duck...Alive...and contact Falcone..."

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Now the plot progresses. Thank you for reading, now if you'd be so kind as to review?


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Tanya watched as Duke turned and left through the elevator door leading down to the more discreet part of the Pond. She sighed, shaking her head as she put the rest of her gear in her locker, her expression suddenly changing as she threw her helmet in and slammed the door. Turning her back and sinking against it, she buried her head in her hands. "Duke...." She choked out, holding back a sob.

"Whatcha doin' on the floor, Tanya?" Nosedive pulled his jersey over his head casually, tossing it onto the bench as he entered the locker room. He needed a shower, and he knew it, the locks of golden hair that framed his face were plastered down from the sweat in his helmet and his feathers were matted down in a V at his neck.

Tanya jumped in surprise, her eyes widening as she immediately got on her hands and knees. "Er...Uh...Piece of my Omni-tool fell out. I was uhm...looking for it." She stammered, frantically looking around for what obviously was not there. She thanked the stars that Nosedive was not the brightest crayon in the box, and that his childish naivety allowed him almost ultimate trust and gullibility.

"Oh, you need any help lookin'? After all, my great great great...times whatever...grandfather was part eagle." He plastered that silly grin on his face and bent down, not sure what he was looking for, but pretending anyways.

Tanya couldn't help but smile, closing her eyes for a moment and quickly grabbing a stray screw off the floor. "Oh...look, here it is. Thanks Nosedive, you brought me good luck." And without another word, she stood back up; shoving the screw in her pocket and heading out the door...She needed a walk.

* * *

"Is that the one?" Chameleon asked, tapping his fingers together and changing the shape of his head, satisfied only in the sense that Siege looked about to rip it off. Wraith whapped him on the skull with the end of his staff, shaking his head with annoyance as he eyed Tanya leaving the Pond.

"No you fool; the one we're looking for is Duke...That wretched thief that outsmarted Falcone." Wraith answered finally, letting Tanya's distance grow.

"Watch it, you scaly toad of a lizard...That traitor is a coward and pales in comparison to _me_. He just caught me on an off day." Falcone said wistfully, flipping his hair back with a swish of his neck. He had not bothered to cut it, instead he worked it to his advantage keeping the dark brown locks of wavy hair tied back in a pony-tail at the base of his neck and trailing down over his cloak.

"Keep tellin' yourself that, Pretty Boy." Siege chuckled under his breath before his attention was torn back to the retreating duck as she disappeared down the sidewalk.

Falcone bit his tongue as his hand clenched the hilt of his blade. If it had not been for his lust for revenge, he would not even be here. As much as he hated the Saurians, it was Duke he hated more. "I will, Tubby, I will." And once I'm finished with Duke and the rest of those wannabes, you lizard scum are next. He added to himself, inwardly grinning contentedly.

Wraith cleared his throat rather loudly until they had turned their short-spanned attentions back to the situation at hand. "Despite the fact that she is not the duck we are here for, I think it would be beneficent if we capture her and use her to get Duke." He said, stroking his wispy beard in thought.

Falcone laughed outright, almost coming to the point of knee slapping. "Duke couldn't care less about that four-eyed fruitcake of a fowl. He fancies _Mallory_..." He quirked his eyebrows, briefly blinking off into his own quaint little fantasy world; a man got very lonely in prison, and it beat any _other_ alternatives, and Mallory was a fine piece of meat, despite the company she kept. "This reminds me...That one is mine also, I don't care what Dragaunus does with the others, but I get Duke and Mallory." He mused, rubbing his hands together and grinning.

Shaking his head, Wraith pinched the bridge of his nose, silently cursing the Ancestors for his rotten luck. "Falcone let us concentrate on the issue at hand...again. If we capture that particular duck, the others, including those two, are bound to come after." He eyed Falcone wearily, stroking the crown of the skull atop his staff. It was getting rather cracked and dull, and he was very keen to the idea of replacing it, and quite soon.

Tanya sighed, shoving her hands in her pockets as she walked, her satchel slung over her shoulder, since she would undoubtedly end up somewhere worth buying something. But for the time being, her thoughts resided elsewhere. Duke... she thought to herself with a shake of her head. He was everything she had always wanted, every since she was little. She almost laughed at herself. There he was, the epitome of everything tall, dark, and handsome, with the splash of mystery that made her blood boil...and he had never even given her a second glance.

She tore her eyes away from the ground and pushed her glasses back on her beak, using the motion as an excuse to blink away the tears that threatened to fall. By this time, the prospect of ever actually going home was getting less and less, although she was the one that always tried to keep the hope alive.

'Lectric Land was coming up around the corner, and she adjusted her bag to her other shoulder as she made ready to go through the double glass doors. Shaking her head once more, she rested her hand on the handle and took a step forward...but froze in her tracks. A blood-curdling scream ripped through the avenue, followed by the cries of a young child. Tanya's eyes widened and she took off at a run, tossing her bag off on the sidewalk as she ran.

It was starting to get dark, and the cries were getting fainter and fainter, but Tanya rounded a corner of an alley way in time to see a little boy rocking back and forth next to a dumpster. She ran up to him, kneeling next to him, her eyes scanning the area cautiously...something just did not feel right.

"What's wrong, kiddo?" She asked, setting her hand on the child's shoulder, looking around for the source of the scream that had first caught her attention.

"A nasty, fat, lizard man came and took mommy away...They went poof!...and mommy wasn't here no more..." The little boy sputtered through wiping his eyes.

Tanya glowered, "Seige..." Shaking her head, she looked back at the little boy, "Don't worry, we'll find your mother. My name is Tanya. What's yours?"

"Cameron." He replied.

Tanya nodded, "Alright Cameron, let me just call my friends and we'll get your mommy back right away." She turned her head a moment, standing and raising a wrist to activate her com unit.

A wicked grin crept across the boy's face. "Miss Tanya...I lied..." He said darkly, "...Mommy's not coming back...Mommy's dead..." His voice grew hollow, as did his expression as a shadow cast across his face.

Tanya looked at him in bewilderment. "No, no, you can't think like that, we'll find her."

"You don't understand, you disgusting feathered freak. I know Mommy's dead...I know Mommy's dead, because I _killed_ her." Tanya's mouth dropped in horror as Cameron suddenly loomed over her, now in the grotesquely familiar shape of Chameleon's favorite, brutish form.

He flung a ham-sized fist backwards, sending the dumpster barreling into the back of the alley. Tanya stumbled backwards at what she saw. Lying there in a pool of dirtied blood was the true source of the scream and the cries. The bodies of the mother and child, still smoking from the barrage of blasts issued by Chameleon and Seige.

"You...Why?...They couldn't...they didn't....You MONSTERS!" Tanya stammered out, backing up as she fumbled for her puck launcher.

Seige appeared behind her, his fist closing in around the back of her neck, picking her easily off the ground and hoisting her into the air. He turned and looked at Chameleon with a disgruntled and angered glower. "Nasty, fat, lizard man? You are so going to get it once we get back to the Raptor." He grumbled as Tanya kicked and struggled in his grip. With a sigh almost of discontent, Siege threw Tanya with bone crushing force against a building, hard enough to rattle its foundations. She slipped with a groan to the ground below and lie in a limp heap amongst the boxes and paper strewn alley.

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Woo...Bit longer than my other chapters...gomen-nasai for not making it longer...they'll get more lengthy as the story progresses . Please R&R, t'would be much appreciated. I don't care about flames, I think they're entertaining and I very well may reply to them, but I don't get nasty in return unless I'm truly offended, so take your best shot . Oh, and by the way, all of you reviewers will be mentioned in a future chapter's blurb....unless you dun wanna be 


	4. Chapter 3

Yay! Reviews are mah friend! And here's the thanks you's and various answers I owe to ya'll:

Liashi, FNA Sora: Thanks for the divider advice, I had them in the original version of the story, but the new formatting of FF decided it didn't like them, so as you can see I went back and added them all proper like . And yes, it was mean...it gets meaner (more mean?) and a wee bit more er...violent and/or explicit. It won't be too bad, for my readers that read the old version, I changed some things later on since it 'offended' some people. Thanks for the review .

shadowwolf75: Yay! You're back! I was hoping my old readers would find me again...stupid freezing of me favorite account...sigh and at first it wouldn't allow me to rate it "R". I think I have that fixed now, so we'll see. Also, I have the prologue up on AFF....but I need to reload it and do a couple of revamps before I get it fully up on AFF. Tankoos!

Cat61: Gomen-nasai for the late update....I hope it doesn't deter you from the rest of the story. And thanks for the un-flame . Mwaha. Although flames are funny, reviews like yours were very pleasant to read and make me more apt to get off my butt and update more often. Oh and as for the 'darkness' aspect...Let's just say the lights don't come on for a while yet.

And last but certainly not least:

Miyo86 x3: It seems you got review happy. I LOVE it! Lots of reviews makes Fei bedy bedy happy. Go review a couple more times just for shits and giggles I loves you!

I loves you all! And if I ever get around to finishing some of my other fics, I'll be sure to dedicate a chapter or so to ya'll.

And now, on with the show!

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Chapter Three

"Yo Dive, you seen Tanya around, Kiddo?" Duke asked, rather rushed as he dabbed the sweat off his forehead with a towel. "I've looked all over, and she ain't answering her com."

Dive rolled over on his bed, carefully slipping the comic he was reading back into its protective covering before he looked up at Duke. "Nah, man. Last time I saw she was heading out for a walk or something. She looked kinda upset, I think it was 'cuz she broke her Omni-tool." He kicked his legs up and swung them off the bed, rising to meet Duke at the doorway. "She had her bag, so my best guess is that she's off towards 'Lectric Land. I was just about to head to the comic book shop; I'll check and see if she's there if ya want." Dive explained as he rummaged through the various piles of dirty clothes, pizza crusts and taco wrappers that was his room, eventually pulling out a back pack and his jacket.

Duke shook his head, "No thanks, Dive, I think I'll go look for her myself." He disappeared out the door, gone before Nosedive could protest.

He just had a feeling, like something was terribly wrong. He had checked everyone in the Pond. Dive had been reading his comics, Grin was meditating, Mallory was training, and Wildwing was out on a recon mission...even Phil was doing something productive. Tanya was the only one who was not accounted for, and Duke surprised himself with how much he had suddenly started worrying about her.

Stopping at his quarters, Duke changed into what he was most comfortable in: his thieving clothes. He usually took the time to stop in front of the mirror, not necessarily for vanity, but more of a customary habit to make sure everything was in its proper place. This time, however, he neither stopped, nor paused, but grabbed everything he could think of that might be of assistance, covering it all with his crimson trench coat.

His expression grew serious as he placed his hand on the control pad to open the secret entrance to the Pond. The light of the setting sun glinted off the hilt of his saber as he revved the engine of his motorcycle. A somewhat less than suave silence followed as he took off towards Tanya's favorite hangout.

* * *

"DUKE! D-U-K-E! You thrice-damned incompetent _FOOLS_!" Dragaunus roared as Chameleon ducked behind Seige, an effort to escape the angry Saurian-overlord's wrath.

Wraith simply shook his head, again pinching the bridge of his nose for the umpteenth time, trying to fight off the ensuing headache that always accompanied one of Dragaunus' rants of fury. He watched for a few moments, standing in the shadows as he normally chose to do. It was customary in such a situation to let his Lord calm down, for evil genius he might be, but stupid he was not, and not many who crossed Dragaunus lived to tell the tale.

"B-but, milord...Wraith said--"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT WRAITH SAID!" Although he did cast a look of daggers where he knew Wraith was standing.

Wraith sighed and folded his arms over his staff, resting his chin on the duck skull for comfort a moment before emerging from the shadows. "Lord Dragaunus...I do take responsibility for this action." He said with a meager smile, pointing to the unconscious duck lying in a corner, bound hand and foot.

"Explain yourself, Wraith...Or it will be _your_ head on the end of that stick." Dragaunus scowled and gestured to the staff with his eyes.

"If one of their own is in danger, the others will come for her. Think of it as a back-up to the plan. If Duke comes for her, so be it, we'll have them both. And if they all come, well then, the more the merrier, as they say...and the plan will simply move faster than anticipated." Wraith drawled casually, nonchalantly tossing a fireball into the nearest drone, his smile growing considerably as it exploded, the light of the blast playing evilly on his features, as well as the growing smirk on the face of his Lord.

* * *

Duke ramped over the last hill at a speed that would have given Kleghorn a field day's worth of tickets and fines had he been caught. His mind was so focused on finding Tanya that he disregarded virtually everything else. She's fine, Duke. He told himself, shaking his head as he rode. I'll find her here, she's always at 'Lectric Land...the world could end, and I'd still find her there, looking for ways to upgrade Drake One If he told himself this over and over, he thought, maybe he'd start to believe it. A thief learned to trust any feeling that rose from the pit of his stomach, and this came from a bottomless chasm.

The motorcycle came to a screeching halt, practically on the sidewalk of the large building. Duke dropped his helmet absently on the seat, paying no mind as it rolled off and clanked noisily across the cement, his eyes were fixed upon the door, and nothing else mattered. He paused, only for a moment, his hand on the door. She's here...at least she _was_ here. A multitude of thoughts raced through his head as he pushed through the glass doors, immediately eying the clerk.

"Yo, Larry, you seen Tanya around?" Duke tried to sound insouciant, his voice calm and collected, but his eyes most likely giving him away, at least to anyone but a human.

The clerk, Larry, looked up from cleaning a glass case. "Nope. Haven't seen her today. Thought it might'a been her earlier, someone was at the door but something happened outside and they left." He shrugged and went back to cleaning.

Duke's eyes widened and he turned, all but running towards the door. "Hey! Wait up a minute!" He stopped in his tracks as the clerk ran up to him with a piece of paper and a pen. "In all the time that lady duck friend o' yours been comin' in here...I never asked her for an autograph...Ya'll's famous right? Well my girl loves hockey and--" Duke left Larry talking to himself as he sped out of sight.

He barely got halfway down the block when, again, the motorcycle left a black semi-circle on the asphalt as he stopped. Tanya's backpack....He all but jumped off the bike, leaving it in the middle of the street as he ran towards the canvas book-bag. How it had ever caught his attention he'd never guess, but there it was. With a shake of his head he clenched the bag in his hands. She'd never leave this behind...unless.... He took off running, his eyes closed as he followed more than just a hunch.

An alley way...He rounded the corner and the bag dropped from his hands. There was a wall crumbling up the side, it looked like from some sort of heavy impact. His eyes darted around. Blood. He could smell it, so strongly it reminded him of Puckworld and it sent waves of the horrible memories and nauseating sensations over him. With almost timid steps he pulled aside a dented dumpster, his eyes widening in a string of curses as he spotted the bodies of the woman and her child. "Shit...By the Stars, they've never gone this far before...." He stumbled backwards against a wall, his mind reeling with possibilities; none of them good. "Tanya...Tanya please be alright...."

* * *

Alright! Definitely more to come very soon. We now see a tiny inkling of Duke's (as of now) unexplained and sudden feelings for Tanya. Will it continue? Is it just a fluke? (Dah...fluke rhymes with Duke...tahee smack) Where has Falcone disappeared to? Does it matter? So many questions, so few chapters...all will be revealed in time...hopefully. Please R&R...as I said with Cat, the more sparkly reviews I get, the more fun it is for me to update!


	5. Chapter 4

Wooo…Alright guys and gals…thanks so much for you patience with me and my wretched story. I know I promised more frequent updates, but honestly things have been getting hectic…anyways, here we go again!

Shadowwolf75- Thanks a bunch for still sticking with me and reviewing, it means a lot!

Noreen- Yay! A new reader! W00t!!

So this chapter is dedicated to you guys! Thanks for sticking it out and reviewing, you guys rock! And to everyone else, I hope I haven't scared you away or made you angry by not posting as I should have! Thanks!

Bit of a warning for this chapter: For the younger readers (if there are any) or even those of you who are the teensiest bit squeamish…something a bit er….yah…happens in this chapter, well I should say ALMOST happens….but our favorites someone jumps in to save the day! So enjoy, please R&R!

* * *

Chapter Four

Tanya groaned and opened her eyes painfully. Her head was throbbing and she could concentrate on nothing, save for the compulsory ache in her back from that sickening impact with the brick wall. She moved to wipe the blurriness from her vision, but found her hands were immobile. The room was darker than anything at the Pond, or even 'Lectric Land with its endless corridors of computer components and wires. Her eyes widened as she remembered what happened, and it led her to the conclusion of where in fact she really was-- "The Raptor..."

"Very good, you moron. You always were the brightest of the bunch." Falcone rolled his eyes and stood up from the wall. "It's about bloody time you woke up...It's no fun unless you're struggling." His eyes flashed and his mouth curled into a sadistic smile.

Tanya looked up in disbelief, her mind racing at all the possibilities of what was going to happen, and none of them very positive in perspective. "Wha-what's going on? Why the hell are you here, Falcone? Where're the others...I..." She stuttered, on the verge of panic.

Falcone gazed at her a moment with bemusement before his hand snapped out and struck her across the face. "Will you just _shut up_? All will be revealed in time anyways, as soon as Dragaunus comes back. In the meantime...." A nefarious grin crept idly across his face as he knelt down next to her, reveling in the terrified look in her eyes, and the single tear that ran down her cheek. His expression turned almost serious for a moment as he reached a surprisingly gentle finger to wipe away the tear.

Tanya's terror was replaced in an instant by confusion, then repulsion as Falcone pressed his body against her, his mouth mere fractions from hers. She tried to pull away, but his hand wrapped around the back of her neck and drew her roughly to him. An alarmed cry was muffled by his brutal tongue forcing itself into her mouth. She struggled as his hands traveled down her back and to the front of her trousers; she struggled even as she felt blood dripping onto her finger tips as the ropes bit deeply into the soft flesh of her wrists.

By the Stars...He wouldn't... The horrific thought refused to be pushed from her mind, and was cemented there as she felt her belt loosen and then unbuckle. His tongue was working slow circles down her neck, creeping downwards as his hands moved up her shirt, pulling buttons from their holes.

A protest stood cold on her lips, her words frozen in fear and disgust as his tongue reached her navel. She closed her eyes, unable to bear watching him any longer as she tried to focus her attention on something else, anything else....His hands were cold...that didn't help...He smelled like the Saurians...that only brought worse thoughts to mind....

She decided to give struggling one more chance, her eyes snapping open and her legs moving as much as they could to try and push herself away from him. Falcone sat back and grinned, this time his hands reached for his own belt, unclasping it quickly and still catching her by the rope that bound her ankles and pulling her back down towards him. Tanya all but screamed and kicked out as hard as she could, clipping him squarely between the legs. A meager smile of triumph flickered on her face for a moment, before she realized that Falcone had merely grimaced and instead now had his dagger unsheathed and an unsightly frown on his face as he looked down at her.

She gasped, her eyes closing tightly as she braced herself for the flash of steel across flesh. When it did not come, she waited a moment longer, her eyes opening slowly to find that he was still crouching over her. The blade suddenly flashed and she bit back a scream, finding unexpectedly that her legs had been freed of their restraint instead of the horrible pain that she had anticipated.

Her mind raced as she rolled over, stumbling to get on her feet, the instinct to run over-powering all reasoning as to where or how. Falcone chuckled as he extended his arm, nimbly snatching her leg out from under her and bringing her brusquely to the ground. "Why are you trying to run?" He pulled her close and whispered in her ear. "I'm not going to hurt you…much."

Tanya's heart raced and her eyes widened as he rolled on top of her, pinning her down and finishing the job of unclasping her pants. "I like silk…it's so soft beneath the fingers…but I think it looks better on the floor." He said with a measured smile as his hands followed the curves of her back, slowly pulling down her panties with his thumbs. Her bare skin on the cold stone floor ignited a hysteria and she cried out, trying to get out from underneath him. She could feel his heat, even though his trousers were still covering him, and she could feel the size of it as he pressed himself more firmly against her.

Tears streamed down Tanya's face as she tried to be somewhere else. Back at the Pond, watching Nosedive eat one of his triple-spicy tacos…Grin, meditating in the corner…Mallory and Wildwing talking about Drake One's defenses…and Duke…oh Duke where are you? "Duke…"

Falcone's eyes snapped up to meet hers, blazing with hatred and anger. "_What_ did you just say?" He snarled, his face alight with turmoil and greed along with the abhorrence he felt for his rival. "All my life, that sonofabitch has bested me in everything. But not this, you are disgusting…Duke would _never_ love anything that even resembled _you_." He laughed a fiendish, cold-hearted laugh. "But I on the other hand…I'm not picky…not picky at all."

His hand found its way slowly up her chest, his fingers grazing the soft flesh of her breasts with an expertise that scared Tanya more than anything. He leaned forward with a devilish grin, and lowered his voice to an upsetting whisper. "Now, now…Why are you so scared? If it were Duke instead of me you'd be in Heaven."

Falcone advanced all the more, and Tanya shut her eyes tightly as his icy hands touched the bare skin beneath her ruffled feathers. His weight was removed from her for a moment, but she shivered with the sound of the rustling of heavy fabric as it dropped to the floor, and he was on top of her once again, this time, a steaming mass of lust. "You're mine, now. _You_ are something _he'll_ never have." He growled into her ear before crushing his mouth to hers, hard enough to bruise as he forced his tongue past hers.

"S-Stop....please...." She pleaded, once he had released her mouth.

Her mind finally seemed to separate from her body. So lost she was in trying to ignore what was happening, that she did not hear the wispy entrance of Wraith as he appeared in the room. She was completely oblivious to the fact that Falcone had been ripped away from her.

She only opened her eyes well after she heard a tremendous crash that signified that something had hit something else...very very hard, a yelp of pain, and a dark voice threatening direly, "Touch that duck again, and it will be _your_ head on the end of my staff, and it will not only be a fire ball that graces your arse before it lands on Lord Dragaunus' plate".

Her gaze darted from place to place, first down, as the floor seemed quite the distance from the rest of her, until she noticed she was slung over Wraith's shoulder. Her blouse had been rebuttoned, as were her trousers, and she saw that Falcone was laying limply against the furthest wall, his tail feathers smoking and his cloak cast over his head. Never before was she ever happy to see one of the beings she feared most, other than Dragaunus himself, but she could not help but let the feeling of intense relief wash over her, although nothing could be undone.

"I know you are awake, duck. Listen to me carefully, if you vomit on my robes, I will be forced to kill you, and Lord Dragaunus would not be pleased. Although I really would not blame you--such a nasty creature, his very existence conflicts with the cosmos--." Wraith shuddered, but despite his solid, stoic voice, Tanya could have sworn she felt him smile, and for one fleeting instance, she could have sworn it was Duke carrying her away.

* * *

Falcone grumbled painfully for a good few minutes before actually working up the nerve to move. With a sweep of his arm, he brought his cloak from over his head and rubbed his shoulder timidly. He heaved a sigh and rose, using the wall as a support and leaning against it even as he stood.

"Bloody meddlesome reptile...He'll be next to go after I get rid of that oaf, Dragaunus. Threaten _me_ will he? If anyone gets some ass it'll be me...certainly not a bloody lizard--" He stood cursing as he patted at his tail feathers and pulled his trousers back up, deciding against it at the last moment as the coarse fabric chaffed the sore flesh. With a continued string of curses and insults he hobbled off with his pants around his ankles, revenge a determined conception engraved in his mind, but only after he had iced his smoldering backside....

* * *

He set her down—more gently than even she thought necessary—and stood back, looking at her for a moment before turning to walk away. Tanya's eyes automatically strayed away, then quickly turned back, her mouth opening to speak. It was his look that silenced her. It was a look that said he required no thanks, nor did he want any. A look whose eyes were filled with a sadness and a longing for something far distant than anything obtainable on Earth.

Slowly her beak closed, and Wraith left her in the small, silent room. She looked around, regarding the fact that the room was well-lit, clean, and dry. With some effort, she got to her feet and staggered over to a corner. She let herself slide down the wall, keeping her bloodied hands close to her back as she sat, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her head on them.

An exhaustion that she'd never felt before crept up on her like a shadow, and her eyes closed. And as the door slowly clicked closed, signifying that Wraith was truly gone, she softly mouthed, "Thank You....."

* * *

Woot! This chapter was a bit longer, as promised, and hopefully they'll start getting even longer, no promises though. I get almost a month off of college for winter break, so that will give me a bit more time to write. Anyhow, please don't be shy, tell me exactly what you think. Flames are ok too, I take them into consideration no matter how nasty they are.

Thanks for sticking it out guys and gals, please R&R!


	6. Chapter 5

Finally….Chapter FIVE! YAY! Sorry to make you all wait so long….what few loyal readers I have. *sigh* Well, here it goes.

Chapter Five

And everyone thought they needed Wildwing's mask to find the Raptor...

Duke shook his head, glad he could offer something positive from his years of thievery and stealth: tracking. He missed his old life, although if it displeased his friends, he'd never return to it. With a groan he looked around, contented at least that it was growing dark. The city was so much more difficult to navigate during the day with the thousands of residents of Anaheim roaming the streets carrying on their petty little lives.

The tanned fowl almost laughed at the sight of the building looming in front of him...a pet shop, of all things...in one of the worst parts of town. It even had what could have been small puppies lurking in the windows, although something about them seemed devious, almost evil.

His eyes darted around, searching for anything that could be considered dangerous, finally concluding that the only danger lie inside as he slipped his saber into the lock and dislodged it with a slight jerk of his wrist.

With careful steps he slipped inside, silently closing the door behind him. He turned around slowly, astounded by the actual majesty of the cloaking device, it really was amazing, but horrible in the wrong hands as it were. The halls were empty and silent save for the sound of a slow, rhythmic drip of water in some far-off corner.

A slow sigh escaped his throat as he crept along the corridor. His instincts told him to focus, to attend every fiber of his being on the task at hand, but his heart was filled with so many conflicting emotions that he found it hard to concentrate on anything but finding Tanya. Even coming face to face with Dragaunus himself would not detour him. All this time he thought it was Mallory, all this time he longed for her, and yet what he wanted, what he _needed_ had been right in front of him the whole time. "I'm coming Tanya...I swear by the Stars I'm coming for you.

***

The silent alarms had been tripped long before Duke had even touched the door, and the smile on Dragaunus' face grew with every step the duck took towards his chamber. But Wraith was beginning to doubt their whole plan, and not for the first time.

Wraith had sensed Duke's longing for Mallory, and had thought that it could be used as a weapon against him. But the more he watched Duke, and monitored his mind, the more Wraith saw that perhaps the whole plan was going to backfire. True, the mallard was as confused as a baby in a topless bar, but his confusion was no longer backed by anger, by jealousy, or by discontent. His mind was now confused by his own blindness, and now was becoming clear and focused on only one thing, and that fact scared Wraith, for he had seen what creatures such as Duke could do if determined enough and provoked into action.

Falcone emerged from his chambers, having donned a fresh set of clothing. He clasped the clips on his cloak as a finishing touch as he headed towards the command chamber. A small light blinking in the hallway informed him of the security breech. "Duke, old boy. You've lost your touch." He chuckled to himself as he walked down the corridor, his limp only slightly less.

He rounded the final corner and entered into Dragaunus' chamber, bowing deeply and grinning as he straightened. "Go take care of him, Falcone. Prove to me you are the superior, or I'll shoot your ass straight back into the dimensional gateway." Dragaunus threatened menacingly, not bothering to rise from his chair. Falcone nodded solemnly and turned on his heel, but not before casting a look of daggers at Wraith.

"My Lord.... I fear our original plan is destined to fail." Wraith said suddenly, as soon as Falcone had left the room.

Dragaunus glanced sideways at him, "I know, you fool. But two of their number are missing, the others will come eventually." He grinned and clicked his talons together thoughtfully. "Besides, I rather like the idea of picking off those wretched ducks one by one...Bring me the other one." Wraith nodded and disappeared in a wisp of smoke.

***

Tanya's eyes snapped open much too fast for her brain to comprehend. The room was spinning at an unhealthy rate and she rested her head back on her knees to calm her stomach as the realization sank in. Falcone had raped her, she was in the clutches of a creature that half the universe feared, and she was alone...very, very alone. Silent tears crept down her cheeks and she shuddered involuntarily. "Duke...." She whispered to the emptiness of the room. "Grin...Dive...Where are you?" She swallowed and drew in a deep breath. It would do no good to sit there cowering and crying.

In the corner of the room she noticed a flashing light, something that definitely had not been there before. Tanya tilted her head slightly, trying to get a better look at it without having to expend the energy of getting up. From the looks of it, it was an alarm warning. Someone had tripped a silent alarm. Duke. She shook her head; Duke was too careful, too cunning to be caught by some elementary level alarm. With a sigh she leaned back against the wall, deciding against hope that perhaps Chameleon or Seige had left the door open and a dog had scampered in and set off the alarm. She busied her mind with thoughts of what Dragaunus would do to them for being so stupid. But that did not seem to help her situation any, because what he could do to them, he surely would do to her.

A quite wisp of gray smoke enveloped the far corner of the room, drawing a small groan from Tanya. As noble an act Wraith had presented earlier, she knew he was still under Dragaunus' command, and would do anything if it were his will. She could not bring herself to blame him though, in fact she almost felt sorry for the older sorcerer. As his form solidified she looked at him wearily and sighed, closing her eyes and resting her head against the wall.

"As much as I do loathe your kind...I am--" Wraith looked at the floor for a moment, a look of confusion passing over his features. "--Sorry that you have had to suffer so. It will be over soon." The look he gave Tanya was filled with genuine pity, but it far from comforted her.

"Th....Thank you, Wraith. I know what you mean...and I am not afraid. But just tell me, why? I see such misery in your eyes, such longing. Why are you so sad?" Tanya's eyes met his and locked them there, seeking an answer even before he spoke.

"And just why should I tell a _duck_? Why is it that you could go so long in fear of me, yet now you try to delve into my very soul? What makes you so bold that I might not just kill you myself?" He asked, his voice lacking the severity that should have accompanied his words.

"Because your eyes are not cold, not devoid of emotions other than rage and hatred. You think; you feel; you aren't like Dragaunus in ruthlessness, or Seige in cruelty, or Chameleon in utter submission to everything around him. They are more like the metal drones that roam this ship than living beings. They only know one thing at a time, and they are tied to it. But you...you're different. Wicked you may be at times, but you know mercy, and hope.... I just want to know why you allow yourself to be locked inside yourself for the sake of _this_." From her eyes Wraith could sense her sincerity, from one troubled soul to another.

With a deep breath, Wraith swallowed and leaned against the door, letting his staff rest idly against his chest. "This is all I have left, duck. The Ancestors have not exactly been smiling upon me as of late. We four are the last of a great race of Saurians, what few of us survived the Wars, were locked away in the dimensional prison, as you already know. Where would a creature like me go, if not under the service of Lord Dragaunus? I certainly cannot go around and play _hockey_ or prattle around on a talk show, now can I? There is nothing for me here, or anywhere, and so I live. Alone." He sighed and shook his head, glancing up at Tanya, whose eyes were still fixed intently on him.

"I miss Puckworld more than anything. I long to walk on its shores once more.... the whole planet wasn't covered in ice you know.... but the longer I stay here on Earth, the more hope I lose. There is no way home for me, for any of us. Being here is like being trapped in a prison a million miles wide with everything I could ever want...just out of my reach." Tanya realized her gaze had dropped to the floor, and when she brought her eyes back to Wraith's, she realized there was something different about him, but what, she could not place.

"Well, duck.... Tanya--" He corrected himself, smiling slightly, "--It seems I have found a kindred spirit amid the turmoil of the cosmos...Perhaps the Ancestors have decided to smile upon me after all. Although...You know what still I must do."

Tanya nodded with a meager smile and closed her eyes, "You are not alone, Wraith..." She said quietly as he lifted her gently off the ground, mindful of her injuries as he glided silently out of the room.

OOC Alright…so it's been what? 5 years? Yes, I know…but here's another chapter. I have another one waiting, but I want to see if I have a fanbase left….


	7. Chapter 6

Alright all. Here's the next chapter. It's a bit longer than the others, and it's a little more…ah…just read it.

And because I love you all for reading so much:

Shadowwolf: Yes yes yes it IS Alive…mostly. I can't promise how quickly I'll have another chapter after this one. But I will work on it…Otherwise the fanbase I have closer to home will kill me…Probably literally. Eeep. But thank you for finding me again!

Kitsune Swift: Tanya doesn't get any time in this chapter, sorry :D, but lots of Duke, so here's part 1 of the answer to your second question.

Dreamer: Thanks for the compliments :D I do try! I actually had a version of this written where Falcone succeeds…but then I felt bad for poor Tanya and Falcone would have had to die a gruesome death later on…and as much as he's an ass…I do have a special little place in my heart for him so it would kill a little piece of me to do so. And a little tiny spoiler…Wraith and Tanya do not end up together, though I admit, I did briefly consider it (please don't hurt me, I love Wraith and want him to be happy too…)

Bladestar: No you're not dreaming :D But you can go back to sleep if you want to, I'll be here when you wake up.

Ahilty: Here you go.

Cat: OMG I DID!! Thanks for the cookie, it was wonderful.

Topaz Dragon: Falcone may or may not die…I haven't decided yet. He's telling me he wants to do naughty things to Duke, and it kind of turned my stomach a bit, so he might deserve it…

You Know Who: No, actually I don't. But thanks, and here's your continuation. *GASP OMG VOLDEMORT! HIDE!* *giggles*

Miyo86: If it weren't for you, this probably would have been filed away in the "Woulda coulda shoulda finished" folder. So everyone should actually be thanking you.

Anyhow, on with the show. Disclaimer being: Yes, there is Blood. Yes, there is a reference to naughtiness. No, there is no actual naughtiness. And YES, there is butt kicking.

***

Chapter Six

Duke closed his eyes for a moment, honing his other senses in to the growing darkness of the corridors. The darkness was somehow comforting to him; he knew he could see what others could not, and that gave the cunning thief an advantage.

Despite his distracted mind, his instincts were throwing red flags into his face like splashes of icy water. Something was not right. He had seen no one roaming the halls, not even a drone or a rat, and that frightened him. Carefully he milled away in his mind, mentally retracing his steps from the moment he stepped on the property. He could have been more careful, he concluded, then corrected himself--_should_ have been more careful. "Damnit." He whispered silently in the darkness.

"Damn....Is right, old boy." A cold smile glinted softly in the dim light of the corridor, and Duke whipped around at the all too familiar voice.

"Falcone. You dirty snake, what the hell are you doing here?" Duke seethed, his hatred burning brightly, reiterated by the fierce glow of his eye.

Falcone chuckled softly and stepped forward into a ray of light cast by one of the few lamps in the hallway. "Now, now, Duke. Is that any way to greet a brother? Honestly, what would the rest of them say?" He put his forefinger to his chin in thought, pausing perhaps a moment longer than he meant to as he reveled in the hatred and utter fury burning in Duke's eyes. "Oh....How about, 'I wonder where the _traitor _is?' Or perhaps, 'Did anyone ever find out where the _coward_ went into hiding?'" The laugh that followed was filled with mirth and glee as he watched Duke take a step forward, his hand instinctively reaching for the blade at his shoulder.

"You're the only traitor here, Falcone. The Brotherhood wasn't just about stealing; it was about trust, bravery, honor. None of which _you_ have ever had." Duke swallowed his anger and instead let a slow grin creep across his face. "And...If I recall, as for cowardice--It wasn't me, who was pleading and _crying_ for Dragaunus to spare my life. You worthless recreant, you aren't worthy of your sword." His voice had lowered, malice-filled and threatening in its tone. "If they knew what you've done, they would have ripped you apart themselves. How many of us did you kill for Dragaunus, Falcone? Four, Five? It doesn't matter anymore, Falcone. _You_ are the traitor here, not me."

Falcone started to chuckle, eventually breaking out into deep-throated laughter. "Keep telling yourself that, Duke L'Orange, you stupid git. I was on the _right_ side. Dragaunus was well on the way of total planetary domination, he would have eventually anyways. And...as the Earthlings say, 'It is better to be the right-hand man of the devil than in his path.'"

Duke barely had time to dodge as Falcone dove at him. He grunted sharply as Falcone's boot clipped him squarely in the ribs. Duke cared very little and he was on Falcone in an instant, without even bothering to draw his sword--he would take down Falcone with his bare hands. His knuckles stung with the impact as he connected with the side of Falcone's head, throwing them both off balance. Duke was the first to his feet, leaping forward and tackling Falcone back to the ground. Falcone met him mid-air with a hard hook to the chin, sending him careening backwards and in to the hard steel wall. He looked up, dazed for a moment, but instantly brought to his senses as Falcone planted a foot firmly into his abdomen.

Duke growled, sucking in a breath and coughing. He looked up at Falcone, whose eyes were glinting a deadly coal black. Falcone's hand snapped out, clasping around Duke's throat and pulling him upwards as he removed his foot. "You know what I want, Duke? More than anything in the universe? _You_. I want to crush you in my bare hands, I want to pierce your very soul and make you scream and pray for death." A fateful grin spread across his face like a plague and he drew closer to Duke, close enough almost for their beaks to touch. "But even that would heal in time...But--" His grin broadened and he tightened his grip on Duke's throat, entertained by the way he gurgled and cursed as the life was slowly squeezed from him. "--But, what I have _already_ done, you will never forgive yourself for..." He let Duke drop unceremoniously to the ground, gasping for breath.

As soon as his vision cleared, Duke leapt to his feet and drew his sword, brandishing it towards Falcone intensely. "What do you mean?!" He demanded, his face alight with emotions ranging from fury to disgust.

Falcone simply laughed and shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest with a lopsided grin. "Have you ever seen true fear in someone's eyes, Duke? The fear of Death, or..." He paused for a moment and giggled nefariously as he watched the confused look bloom on Duke's face. "Oh...She's an ugly beast, and she smells like motor oil and grease...but the fear in her eyes was worth the disgust. Oh...and, she called your name, once, but after a while she started moaning, whimpering like a bitch in heat and begging for more." His eyes met Duke's head on, staring him down, waiting for Duke to react.

Duke's eyes were frozen in blazing heat; his chest heaving as he tried to control his rage. He knew what Falcone was trying to do, and he would not let him. Anger clouded judgment, and the only way Falcone could win in a fair fight against Duke was if he made a mistake. "You're a lousy liar, Falcone. Tanya is too dignified for scum like you."

Falcone nodded and shrugged, a look of indifference on his face as he started to rummage around in his cloak, "Alright, suit yourself, Duke. Believe what you want to." He said with a genuine smile of knowledge as he tossed a metal object to the ground at Duke's feet.

Duke's eyes widened as he realized what it was--Tanya's omni-tool. There was no way she would ever part with it voluntarily. "You bastard....You've gone to far this time."

Falcone narrowed his eyes and cocked his head wickedly. "And _then_ you know what I did? I turned her over. I turned her over and rammed her like a--" He broke off and boldly closed the distance between himself and Duke. "--Like I'm going to do to you."

Duke all but stumbled backwards at Falcone's approach, completely taken aback. "You dirty Sonofabitch, how _dare_ you!" Falcone's blade shimmered suddenly in the darkness while Duke was off guard, leaving a thin line of crimson on his cheek before Duke could roll out of the way.

They squared off almost instantly, the clash of electrically enhanced metal illuminating the gray corridor. The grating sound of the two blades was almost deafening as each blow weighed heavily on the thieves' bodies. "You'll pay, Duke. For all the humiliation, for all the times you've bested me. You _will PAY!_" Falcone exclaimed, gripping the hilt in both hands and bringing his blade down with bone crushing force.

Duke brought his arms up in time to block, but winced as he felt his right shoulder nearly give. Falcone swept his leg out into Duke's, trying to trip him into submission as his balance wavered. Duke vaulted into the air and over Falcone, turning and kicking him in the back of the head as he landed.

Falcone was better than Duke had remembered, much better. If he was going to win this, he would have to prove he was indeed smarter and more crafty than his adversary. He wheeled, hoping to catch Falcone on the ground, but instead found the energies of the two swords waver with the impact of their collision.

"I was just saying to myself earlier, old boy. You've lost your touch." Falcone chided as he swung over and over, somewhat annoyed by Duke's refusal to let a blow go unimpeded.

Duke growled, but let a slow, calming smile leak onto his features. It was time to get serious. The battle escalated, the clanging of metal growing more and more fervent. Falcone thrust forward, but Duke easily parried and forced Falcone's sword down and using the same motion to fluidly swing upwards, slicing through the fabric of Falcone's tunic and leaving a bloodied gash in its wake.

"Have I now?" Duke answered smugly, not leaving off for a moment as he continued his attack, slashing once more and catching Falcone on his cheek, leaving a mirrored image of his own scarred flesh.

Falcone grimaced and his free hand went impulsively to his cheek, "Now you've really done it, Duke. Not only have you damaged my pride, but now you've marred my good looks as well. Your death will be slow." But even as the words left his mouth, Duke's body flashed, landing the same leg sweep that had Falcone had failed. Falcone's sword flew from his grip and skittered to a corner, receding to it's powerless hilt and lying forgotten. Duke's blade was at Falcone's throat before he had a chance to blink.

"You want to know why I'm better than you, Falcone? Not because of my skill, or my experience.... You and I were the same once, equal in everything, but I surpassed you the day I started fighting for someone other than myself." Duke's eyes narrowed and he pressed the blade closer to the soft flesh of his neck until a small trickle of blood began to run and pool in the cleft of his collar bone. "You asked me, Falcone...If I had ever seen true fear in someone's eyes. I see it now, in yours. You _fear_ me; you hate me, almost as much as I hate you. But there are a few things I have that you don't understand, Falcone. Pity. Mercy. Honor. You will never know them, and they will forever be your enemy. You'll not die by my hand today, Falcone, because you living with the fact that I am _better_ than you is punishment enough. Now get up." Duke glowered down at his fallen foe; taking a step back but still ensuring his blade was still close enough to be a threat.

Falcone swallowed, feeling the blood drip down his neck. His veins burned with his loathing for Duke, who, it seemed, had bested him once again. The only acknowledgement he gave was a hateful stare as he slowly scooted up the wall. He hesitated a moment, reading the eyes of his opponent and listening to his heart beat as it raced in his chest.

Suddenly he sprang up, slamming his full weight into the shorter man's abdomen and pushing him to the other end of the passage. Duke cried out in pain as his already weakened shoulder collided harshly with a piece of jagged steel jutting from the wall. In the back of his mind he remembered the dripping he had heard earlier, and connected the sound with the broken pipe he had just had the misfortune to meet.

The impact had jolted Falcone as well and he stumbled back, dazed. He watched as Duke slowly rose to his feet, his shirt torn at the shoulder and blood dripping from a gash that ran from his shoulder blade to the front of his chest, a smile graced his features as he looked at the useless limb. "Aw, what a pity, Duke. That was your sword-arm too. Tsk Tsk Tsk." He grinned, waggling a finger at Duke mockingly.

To his surprise, Duke returned his smile, and added a chuckle to the foray. "That's alright, I've been practicing with my left anyways." He reached down, picking up his sword with his left hand and waved it with a carefree shrug, holding it as naturally as ever.

Falcone cursed and took up his own weapon, not planning on giving Duke the chance to warm up. "I'll have you, Duke. If have to wear you down to nothing, you're mine!" He chided as he lunged forward, hitting Duke again and again with as much force as he could muster, trying to weaken the rarely-used left arm of his rival.

Duke grimaced, trying to keep the movement of his injury to a minimum, but each time he dodged Falcone's advances or averted his wild swings, he felt more and more of his energy draining; draining as his blood splashed haphazardly to the floor, adding a slick coating to the battle arena. He needed to end this, and soon.

With a burst of adrenaline, Duke surged towards him, his sudden incentive catching Falcone off guard, and once again, he had him on the ground with the tip of his sword gently caressing his throat. "Why don't you give up, Falcone?" Duke said quietly, his voice low and serious. "You were my best friend, Falcone...Brotherhood of the Blade; we had all we could have ever needed, or wanted. Once Dragaunus showed his scaly face you ran like a whipped dog. You ran straight into his arms. You--are--a--_coward_!" Duke growled and shook his head, forcing a sad smile. "No use crying over spilled milk. Go back to Puckworld, you've failed Dragaunus--If I was your mission, then you've failed--Hope that he sends you to some prison and not into dimensional limbo, then you can escape and do whatever you like until I get back. In the mean time....Get better."

He was about to turn away when Falcone suddenly started to chuckle, then actually break into a fallow laughter. "No, Duke...You...You just don't understand, old boy." He choked between bouts of laughter. "I really _am_ better than you...."

Duke threw him a puzzled look, but indeed turned his full attention to the sharp-beaked turncoat. "Did I hit you in the head too hard, Falcone?" He asked calmly, favoring his right arm as he looked down at Falcone, who was still giggling like a little girl.

"Oh Duke. Duke, Duke, Duke. You still don't get it. I'm better than you...Because I do what it takes to _win_." And with that, Duke whirled around at the sound of hydraulics expanding, just in time to be struck down by the solid steel arm of a drone. He looked up to see Falcone looming over him, reaching down, and as darkness enveloped him, he felt a cold hand wrap tightly around his throat and his body being hoisted off the ground.


	8. Chapter 7

To my few loyal readers:

Thanks again for following me all these years, waiting for me to get off my lazy arse and update. My muse finally woke up and stretched her wings. To be honest, I wasn't sure where to go with this story anymore, I'd lost my focus (easy to do after 5 years…), but I think I may have found it again. I will try not to make you wait for so much time between chapters, but at the same time, I am unable to promise what quality will be produced. My writing style and ability has changed since I started this piece so long ago, and as such, this story doesn't flow to me as easily as it used to.

As it is right now, I will try my hardest to complete this (which, honestly, was going to be 2 or 3 chapters at it's longest, but grew a life of its own and now I have no idea where it will go XD). Please continue to read and review, as always, the more hits and reviews I get, the more likely I am to update sooner. Thank you all again, and on with the story.

This chapter is a little short, but it was growing late and I promised a friend a present :D You know who you are. I neither confirmed nor denied the presence of a theme song and whether or not I was indeed humming it.

Chapter Seven

"What took you so long, Wraith?" Dragaunus eyed the sorcerer suspiciously, noting the way he carrier the duck and how softly he had set her down.

Wraith cleared his throat calmly and smiled, his eyes glinting as he looked at Tanya shivering in the corner. "Forgive me, my Lord…It has been so long since I've had any real _fun_." He glanced at Tanya for a moment, hoping she would catch on to his pretenses.

Dragaunus bared his fangs in a malicious grin as he nodded his approval. "Very well, I trust you didn't damage her too badly." His gaze traveled to the corner and his mind wandered to impure thoughts of what he could do to the wretched feathered creature. However, he settled on obtaining his pleasure through watching her suffer, rather than partaking in anything as disgusting as actually touching her, like Wraith seemed to have done.

"Bring her here." He ordered, but drew up his hand to halt Wraith as he made to move towards Tanya; instead, he motioned to two of the drones standing idly by. Tanya's eyes followed their stiff movements as they shuffled across the steel floor, grating and sparking as they approached her. She grimaced at the jarring metallic scrape and the hiss of hydraulics as they hauled her up between them. Bound as she was, she was unable to maintain her own weight and thus was dragged to Dragaunus' feet.

The Saurian lord smiled almost serenely as he closed his eyes, drawing in a breath and holding it deep within his frame. A corner of his mouth tilted up, warping the serenity into something dark and wicked. "Your fear is like a fine wine, my dear. It rolls in my mouth, thick and pungent. Blood and roses on my tongue." He rose from his haunting throne of twisted metal, towering over Tanya.

Tanya swallowed heavily, eyes tracing up the line of Dragaunus' body before coming to rest just below his nose. She couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze, afraid of what she would find there. She wasn't afraid of death, but with the Saurian, there was no telling how long she would have to beg for it before it came.

"It has been a very long time since we crashed on this forsaken mud ball." Dragaunus began, lifting a foot and setting it down on Tanya's abdomen. He leaned forward until he heard a wheezing of air leaving her lungs. "Time and again, you and your, ah, _team mates_, have thwarted my plans. At first, we were merely trying to leave, and would have done so in relative peace."

The pressure increased and Tanya bit back a cry as her ribs protested the weight. "Then, as time passed, and I realized that all my plans would invariably end the same way, I altered my intentions. If I could not leave this planet, I would destroy it. But even that, in the end, was futile with you and your little flock around."

With her hands still bound behind her, Tanya's shoulders strained, bones grinding together as the lizard pressed down. Her eyes squeezed shut, she opened her mouth to scream but hadn't the air to do so, all that escaped was a strangled moan.

"So I've evolved a new philosophy, _Tanya_." He spat her name like a curse. The fact that he'd used it chilled Tanya more than the icy steel floor beneath her. Before it had always been a menacing anonymity. Always it was "the ducks" or some other such impersonal pronoun. Now it seemed so much more personal. "There will be no more plans for world domination, no more plans of global destruction. Until you and your kind are obliterated from this planet, all of my other plans are on hold. Why spend weeks developing and executing my carefully laid plans when they are doomed to fail?"

Dragaunus chuckled softly, leaning forward enough that he could rest his elbow on his knee and gaze down as Tanya turned a lovely shade of red. Stars exploded in Tanya's vision as darkness ate at the edges of her consciousness when suddenly the weight was gone. Tanya rolled onto her side, sucking in air as quickly as her oxygen-starved lungs would allow. She coughed, head pounding, ribs aching, shoulders screaming as she curled around her middle.

After a few moments, she was able to unfurl, finally bringing herself to look at her captor. "You've tried before and failed, Dragaunus. What makes this time any different?" She ground out, defiance masking the fear still thundering in her abused chest.

The Saurian's eyes flashed, and in one swift, crushing motion, slammed his foot down on Tanya's prone frame, drawing from her a gut-wrenching cry. She lay sobbing, unable to move with the massive foot still trapping her, pressing against broken ribs and twisted limbs. She cried out once more as Dragaunus clenched his toes, raking razor-like talons across the tender flesh of Tanya's stomach.

Blood pooled beneath his toes and Dragaunus finally removed his foot. "Because," he said, lifting Tanya from the floor by the front of her torn shirt. He opened his mouth to continue when the blip of his communicator interrupted him. Falcone appeared on the screen, and though no words were exchanged, his smug expression told Dragaunus that the blundering bird had finally done something right.

"Because, it isn't me who has to succeed." With that puzzling comment, Dragaunus lowered Tanya back to the ground and shoved her across the metal floor with a nudge of his foot. She skidded to a halt just before hitting the wall, leaving a bloodied smear in her wake.

Wraith stayed eerily silent throughout the exchange, neither protesting nor applauding his lord's actions as he battered the duck. His eyes followed the trail of blood, coming to rest on Tanya, as she lay huddled around herself, curled into a miserable knot of pain and confusion. He wanted to feel nothing, or at least feel only hatred or loathing for the pitiful creature before him, but something deep in the pit of his stomach twisted as he watched Dragaunus stalk closer to Tanya.

Dragaunus had his foot raised again when Wraith finally spoke, "Milord, do you think it wise to abuse the creature thusly? If she were to expire prematurely, it would hinder the plan as it is currently laid."

A smoky snort escaped his nostrils as he slowly lowered his foot, "You do have a point, Wraith. They are indeed fragile." Tanya visibly relaxed, unseen by her tormenter as Dragaunus had already turned away and paced back to his throne. He sat back down with a flourish of his cloak and threw one leg over the arm of the chair, suddenly lost in contemplation as he waited for Falcone's arrival.

Tanya chanced a glance at Wraith, surprised to find that the old sorcerer was watching her intently. He was stroking the skull on the end of his staff, but it seemed to be more of an automatic gesture of deliberation rather than the menacing act it appeared to be. Finally after a moment, he sauntered towards her, apparently coming to some unspoken conclusion as he knelt beside her.

Wraith could feel Dragaunus' eyes on his back as he examined the duck, and could feel him grin as Wraith summoned a ball of fire in the hand not holding his staff. He frowned at the blood oozing from the cuts on Tanya's abdomen, staining her lavender blouse a sickly shade of burgundy. Tanya cried out as Wraith plunged his hand towards her abdomen. The cry turned to a scream as she saw the fire turn blue just before connecting with her flesh.

Tanya's heart thundered against her chest, but her outburst was more of surprise than the searing pain she had expected. The flow of blood eased and then ceased leaving three lines of tacky-feeling scabs. Her shoulder and ribs still ached but it was no longer the breath-stealing agony that had arced through her moments before.

Wraith stood, eyes finding Tanya's but disregarding her look of gratitude. "It will not last." He said, and to Dragaunus it only appeared as if he had staunched the flow of blood, and Tanya's painful outburst only confirmed that it hadn't been gentle.

Adding to Dragaunus' growing satisfaction, Falcone appeared in the command chamber, alone at first. Though he looked a bit worse for wear, the fact that he was still standing proved to Dragaunus that he had succeeded.

"Well?" He inquired, raising one scaled eyebrow as he tapped his foot impatiently.

Falcone smirked and left the room, only to return moments later dragging a limp figure behind him. Falcone shifted his weight, then tossed the ragged and bleeding form in front of Dragaunus. "I told you I was the better of the two. Here now is the proof."

At the sound of Falcone's voice, Tanya looked up then followed his grin across the room. Eyes widening, she couldn't believe who lay only feet from her.

"Duke! Duke…no…"


End file.
